Don't I know you?
by HanaElric
Summary: The sequel to "Is This a Game?"- In a massive, very realistic RPG, having finally completed the first goal, for Yugi to remember who he really is, Yami and Yugi can move on to the remaining 6. Little do they know, the second goal may prove to be even harder than the first, and will test the limits of their friendship in a way they never thought possible.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **

**Welcome to the first chapter of the sequel to "Is This a Game?"! As this is a sequel, it would be very hard to understand what's going on, if you haven't read the first one. **

**Thank you to anyone who has kept up with this story! **

**I hope that it's at least half as fun to read as it was to write!**

**And so, the adventure begins~!**

* * *

The previous night had been a good one for Yugi. He'd been tired after getting his memories back, so he wasn't awake for long after that. He hoped he could play his character well enough to win. It would be easier now, without her memories.

To his surprise, Yami didn't disappear back to his soul room. He sat close to Yugi on the bed, and Yugi could tell he was trying to hold back how relieved he was, and just how much he missed him the entire time.

"I missed you too, Yami. Even if I didn't know I did." He said, half awake at that point.

Yami seemed surprised to hear him say that.

"You can't hide anything from me, remember?" There was a sleepy smile on his face. This may not have been his bedroom, or even his body, but right now he was happier than he had been in a long time. Since the game started, he was sure.

Of course, nothing lasts forever.

When he woke up the next morning, he was truly surprised.

He stood in the unfamiliar bathroom, in the unfamiliar house, and ripped the note off of the mirror.

_Hello, little Yugi. _

_I congratulate you on finally completing the first goal, although it did take you considerably longer than I would have hoped. _

_Welcome to phase two of my little game. Are you having fun so far? I didn't think so. _

_I'm sure you've noticed the considerable changes by now. _

The considerable-...oh no. No, not again. He knew he felt funny, and upon glancing up at the mirror, he discovered why.

He was a girl again, that much he could tell. Not the same girl, by a long shot. This girl was taller. No wonder he felt so funny. She was taller, and she had long thick black hair, and dark blue eyes. The longer he looked, the weirder he felt. He had no idea what he'd sound like. He made himself stop panicking and staring at the mirror long enough to continue reading the note.

_As you know, we're in a game, and thus we, or more specifically __**you**__ are not bound to any one particular vessel. As you're also aware, my Ring has the ability to displace souls. Which is just what I've done to you. _

_And thus the second goal of my game begins._

So that's what this was? Vessel? He was moved to a new vessel?

_Ah, but don't go anywhere yet, Yugi. There are rules. _

Rules? What were they this time? Did he have to play this character now?

_You may have noticed that you're now completely separate from the soul you've so affectionately come to know as "your other self". _

His heartbeat sped up. No. No it couldn't be.

_Now that you have your own game piece, or vessel for your soul, he'll be using your old one. You're no longer connected in any way. _

Yugi double checked that. He closed his eyes, concentrating and trying to feel the spirit there, like he always could. Trying to find any proof that the letter was wrong.

Nothing. There was nothing. He was completely and entirely alone.

"Yami...?"

Surely he wasn't gone. Surely this was just a dream, or some big joke, or... or... So, that's what this character's voice sounded like. It was higher than the last girl's voice. It sounded awkward, and his tone didn't really fit on it.

"Mou hitori no boku...?"

He was close to tears. After all that... after waiting for so long to remember who he was, after being so happy to be himself again, and be "reunited" with his Yami, now he had to be alone? It wasn't fair. He bought his tear-filled eyes back to the paper.

_This next goal will be to get him to recognize you. Easy you say? But here's where the rules come in. _

Was that all? That fought his tears back a little. That would be easy! He knew what Yami would look like, so it wouldn't be hard at all!

_You may not, under any circumstances, tell him who you are. If you do so, you will forfeit the game, and you will lose. _

But... how was he supposed to-...

_You may not give him any clues as to who you are. No using that little nickname you so fondly refer to him as. _

He would have to call him by the character's name. Oh, that would hurt. Not only that, but it would be hard.

_He's probably very confused at the moment, little Yugi. These instructions are for you and Ryou only. _

He didn't like the thought of Yami confused and alone. That wasn't ever supposed to happen. He was the one who always explained things to Yami when he didn't understand them.

_He doesn't know you won't look like yourself. I assume he will desperately search for you, but he'll be looking for the wrong face. _

_Delightfully fun, isn't it? _

Oh no... no... this whole morning was just-... he was so happy last night. Why can't it just have stayed like that? Why did this have to come up? So far, he wasn't enjoying this game at all.

_Don't worry, we don't really have an advantage over you. I don't know what you look like either. I've preset the game to do this from the very beginning, so which character it has chosen for you this time, is completely at random. _

So this character that he looked like now was completely random? She didn't look anything like him. She didn't look anything like the last girl he looked like, either. The last girl had short hair, and big lips, and green eyes, and more importantly, he was her for a long time...

This new girl... she was taller, and scrawny. She can't have been as old as the last girl. Not even close. She looked like she had hardly hit puberty.

_No, I will not erase your memories again. That would make this goal completely impossible and thus no fun at all. _

Finally, a silver lining. He didn't think he could handle any more tampering with his memories.

_I do not know who or where Ryou is either. _

_Unfortunately for you and that worthless Pharaoh, I would know my Landlord anywhere. It won't be long before I've completed this goal. _

So... he would have to hurry. This goal had to be finished faster.

_So, get used to your new face quickly, Yugi, because the second phase of this game has already begun! _

_All you have to do is get him to realize who you are. But you'll have to find him first. _

"_Easy, I remember how to get 'home'! Right? _

_Check again. _

What? Of course he remembered how to get to—oh. No. He didn't. He didn't really remember even what the bedroom he was in last night looked like.

_No, I didn't lie. I didn't erase YOUR memory. What you had left of the memory from the game, however, Should be gone. _

That made this 10 times harder! This just wasn't fair! Wasn't there an easy way he could get Yami to recognize him? Maybe if he didn't look so different...

_Don't get any ideas. Any attempts to change your appearance to look more like your original self won't work. I've made sure of that. _

He really had thought of everything, hadn't he. This just wasn't fair! After all he had been through, what he really wanted was to go home. He didn't want to have to adapt to yet another body, another face, and try to accomplish something even harder than last time.

_Just to make this fair, after I write this, I plan on erasing my own memories of the second goal. I will have no knowledge of it, just like your dear "Yami". _

_So, are you ready? _

_Phase two, Game Start._

_-"Yami" Bakura. _

Just to make it fair? Fair? It already wasn't fair. But at least Yami Bakura couldn't get a head start over him.

He looked back up to the mirror and ran his hand through his hair. The thickness of it felt familiar, but he'd never worn his own quite this long. It was a girl's hair for sure, with little styled layers cut all through it.

He looked around the room for the first time he'd been awake. It looked like a middle-class home. It looked sturdy and decent, but not fancy.

He took the note, and started back towards the bedroom, which he hadn't really gotten a good look at yet.

Pink. There was a lot of pink. The last girl who's character he had to play was nerdy. She liked odd things, and British television, and was considerably older than this girl.

This girl, was apparently in the same boat as every other girl in America.

Her walls were so covered in posters of boys, that he couldn't quite tell what color they might have been. Maybe they were also pink. The bedspread was pink, only it had a famous singer's face all over it.

There were stars and flowers and a lamp shaped like a heart. He didn't think he could ever get used to this. Even Anzu's room didn't look like this. Or at least, it hadn't for a while.

He saw a recent model cell phone on her desk.

This would be really helpful if he could remember Ryou's character's phone number... Did he remember anything from the past few weeks? Well, yes. He remembered a lot of things. How to get to the house, was not one of them. But phone numbers... would Bakura even think to erase his memory of phone numbers?

He picked up the phone and started typing numbers.

"Please be it, please be it, please be it."

The voice still didn't fit him at all. It was too high, and sort of shrill. He could imagine it screaming in excitement over a cute boy.

The phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

"...What?"

Wait. Wait, he had overlooked something very important. If he wasn't using the same "game piece" anymore, and Yami was supposed to be his previous one, and he was just calling Ryou's character's phone... then that meant...

He hung up.

He just called the enemy! He'd have to be more careful than that if he wanted to win.

He'd have to find them on his own.

With no time to spare, he quickly went through the girl's closet, found a backpack, and started throwing clothes into it. He couldn't stay here. At least not during the day. Maybe if he was really lucky, this would all be over by tonight, anyway. He didn't time have for whatever school this character may have been in, or parents she might have had. Speaking of which.

"Jenny! Are you gonna eat breakfast?"

A woman's voice yelled from the other room. Alright then. Jenny. He'd have to go by Jenny now. Or maybe Jen. He remember that.

How should he react? Did they usually yell in this house? Was anyone else sleeping? He risked it.

"uhhh... BE RIGHT THERE."

As soon as he got through the door, he could smell pancakes. He really liked pancakes. He left the backpack in his room. He'd give himself time to think this through, and time to assess the situation before he ran off.

There was a tall woman with dark brown hair, and a young looking face despite how old she must have been if she was the girl's mother.

"Mornin' Jen!"

So she did go by Jen. He made a mental note of that.

"Morning...uhh...mom...?" There was a hint of questioning tone that came through in that last sentence that he had tried to hide.

"Something wrong?"

Ok, that confirmed it. She was the mom.

He sat at the table, and the woman served him pancakes with bacon, Well then. At least SOME part of this day could go well.

The woman seemed really laid back, to his surprise and joy.

"So, mom." He said, trying to sound the least amount of awkward as he could.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to stay at...the bestie's house tonight, kay?" He winged it. His voice was so different now. So high.

"Annie called you? Yeah, sure. Her mom's cool with it, right?"

"Yup."

He could do this. He could get out of here. Maybe he could even call Annie and have her cover for him.

Of course, he had no plans of going to her house. Not if he could help it. What day was it? He pulled the girl's phone out of his pocket. Friday. Hah. Lucky break. Of course, he had no intention of going to school, either. He'd wear the uniform out of the house, and change somewhere else.

He finished breakfast, which he was thankful for in this awkward situation, downed a cup of orange juice, and found his way back to the girl's room.

He finished filling the backpack, and then took the phone back out.

If he was lucky, Annie might be willing to cover for him. He'd make up some scandalous story, and being a teenage (probably) girl, she'd help.

He scrolled through the contacts. There was no Annie. What? But her mom just said...wait.

He scrolled lower until he found "Bestie". He should have known.

"Hey, An, I'm doing something crazy tonight. Cover for me?" He had no idea if that would work. He was entirely winging it. He'd been around Anzu enough to know how girls work, but would he know it well enough?

"Whoa! Hold on, wat r we tlkin' about here?

So he was believable so far. Maybe he should type more... teenager-y...

"Cover 4 me? Mom calls, I'm at ur place, k?"

"Omgomg, r u going 2 the new club? Take me with U!"

Teenage girls. Gosh.

"Ya, I know a guy. But I can only get 1 person in, sry."

"Uhg fine but u gotta tell when u get back!"

"K. O yea, I won't be in school 2day."

"awe D:"

And with that, the phone went back in his pocket. His cover story was fully in place, and now he could finally leave. He managed a messy ponytail with his hair, slipped the school uniform on, grabbed the backpack, and yelled just before he got out the door,

"BYE MOM! I'LL BE BACK...TOMORROW."

He'd make something else up if he needed longer. Right now he had a day, so he'd do what he could with it. He had found money in a wallet in the girl's room. She had nearly $50 on her.

He didn't know this place at all, he realized as he stepped out the door. Of course not. So he walked until he found a bus stop that wasn't for a school.

When the bus finally got there, he was excited to realize that it would take him to the mall. Finally somewhere familiar!

He stepped on board without a second thought, money in hand, phone in his pocket, ready to go.

He could do this.

He'd find Yami.

He'd make him realize who he was.

He'd win.


	2. Chapter 2

Yami was so relieved when Yugi was finally back and he was ok, that he tried to hide some of it, as not to overwhelm the tired teenager laying in bed in front of him.

He couldn't bear to leave him, not even to return to his soul room. After all that, he wouldn't leave his side. He didn't want Yugi to notice, but of course, he did.

He had missed him. He missed him desperately. They were partners. They were always there for each other. Watching Yugi, unable to remember who he was, seeing his entire life as a fictional story... it had been hard to watch.

He couldn't hide anything from him. Not like that.

"I missed you too, Yami. Even if I didn't know I did."

That made him feel better. The whole ordeal was over now. Yugi knew who he was now. Yami still wouldn't leave him. He probably wouldn't, for a while. Yugi didn't seem to mind it.

With Yugi asleep beside him, finally himself, everything was at peace.

* * *

The first thing he registered was the cold. And then the slow soft breathing. No, sleep was nice... he didn't want to wake up yet. No, just a few more minutes, he thought, as he snuggled deeper into the blankets. Wait.

Wake up? Spirits didn't wake up. Spirits didn't sleep the same way living people did.

The feeling of going from asleep to awake confused him enough, but then all of the physical sensations hit him, sending him into mild panic.

Breaths. He was under blankets. It was cold. Why? This didn't make sense. Had Yugi switched places at some point? No, that wouldn't explain why he was asleep.

And that's when he was really shaken awake. He checked for Yugi, and found nothing there. There was an empty void where another soul should have been. No, no that wasn't right. How could he just not be there?! He was always there! He was _**always**_ there.

Was it because of yesterday? Was it his fault?

No, Yugi couldn't be gone. He couldn't. But he was.

Completely confused, in every sense of the word, he pushed the blankets off and got out of bed. This was the bedroom he had apparently fallen asleep in. Sleeping wasn't something he was used to.

His main priority was finding Yugi. He had to be here, and if he was, he would search to the ends of this world to find him. He was lost without him. He was going to find out. He'd call Ryou, demand to talk to Bakura, and demand answers. This was technically his game. He was the game master. He'd know.

He found the phone, scrolled until he found "Ryou Bakura" and quickly hit the call button.

"What do you want?"

That wasn't Ryou.

"I want to know what's going on!"

He heard Yami Bakura sigh,

"To be entirely too honest with you, I have no idea."

"Liar!"

"No, no really. I don't know. I thought you might call. Ryou isn't here. Neither is his character. They're both gone. I assume it has something to do with the second goal, but I can't remember."

"What do you mean, you can't remember? You're the game master! Where is my partner?!"

"I mean, I don't know. I can't remember. It's just a black void. I assume I had my memory erased, and I assume that I did it myself. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've already said far too much._** I **_am going to find my host. I suggest you do the same."

And Yami Bakura hung up.

What was he supposed to do now? Without Yugi... He had just gotten him back! They were just reunited! After so long of Yugi not remembering who he was!

It really hit him hard.

Yugi was gone. He couldn't feel his presence anymore. He couldn't hear his thoughts. Couldn't feel his emotions.

Not being able to feel him there _hurt_. What was he going to do without him? He wasn't even used to existing physically for long periods of time... how was he going to function without his partner?

He had to find him. Yugi was running around in this game somewhere, and he would do anything to find him. Anything.

He _missed_ him. There wasn't a moment that he remembered when Yugi wasn't with him. Unless you counted the short moment in Duelist Kingdom, when he thought he lost his soul to the Shadow Realm.

This game was strange. Everything here could be seen and heard and _felt_, just like the real world. Thus, Yami was feeling very _alive_ at the moment, and it was throwing him off. He was the voice in Yugi's head. The spirit always at his side. Not too often was he actually a physical presence. Sure, he and Yugi switched a lot, so he got to experience a lot of life. Usually for the duration of a duel, or whenever Yugi wanted to let him experience something new. He still remembered the first time he'd ever seen snow.

Yugi had been so excited, and his excitement was almost as confusing as the little white things falling from the sky. In the beginning, he got whatever information he might have needed from Yugi's memories. Without permission, or guilt. It's how he knew Japanese. It's how he knew most of what he knew.

But now... it had been so long, and he knew now that he was completely separate from Yugi. An entirely different being altogether. Stealing his memories, even for little things like snow, didn't seem right.

Sometimes Yugi explained something in the form of memories. Yami would ask about something, and be granted images, sounds, and sometimes feelings, in order to explain it.

The time with the snow, however, he was not. Yugi didn't offer any explanation. It was probably a few months before the game started. He remembered feeling Yugi's excitement skyrocket.

'Yami! Yami come look!'

Curious, he stood by his side, only visible to his partner, who was staring up at the sky in awe.

White. White was falling from the sky. Little white pieces of... something. Clouds? Could bits of cloud fall from the sky? They were falling so slowly, drifting through the air before they hit the ground. Yugi could feel his maddening curiosity, and without warning, pushed him into control.

He stood there in shock for a second.

'Look Yami! It's snowing!'

"I... I see that..."

Everything was unimaginably silent for a few minutes, as he watched the snow fall from the sky. The air itself was covered in a blanket of silence.

"Aibou...?"

'Hm?'

"What... what is snow?" He could have known in an instant, if he wanted. It wasn't hard to steal memories. They were easy to access, since he and Yugi were connected, mind and soul. But he didn't. Yugi hadn't offered the answer that way, so he wasn't going to steal in order to satisfy his curiosity.

It was cold, he knew that much. Icy cold. If Yugi hadn't had a coat on, it might have been unbearable.

'lemme show you!'

Yugi appeared beside him, and took his hand, leading him to catch a snowflake. He didn't have gloves on. It was cold. It quickly turned to water.

"It melts... like ice."

'It is ice!'

"Ice falls from the sky...?"

'It does if it's cold enough!'

It was like... fluffy ice. How could ice be fluffy? Fluffy white ice that fell from the sky. That was new.

'Isn't it beautiful?'

He thought on that. It was cold. Nearly unbearably cold. But he couldn't deny the beauty of the silent cloud-like frozen water that was slowly falling from the sky and drifting gracefully to land on everything in sight.

"It is..."

That had been a good day. A day of learning, and companionship, and peace. Now? Now he wasn't having such a good day.

He couldn't get information from Yugi right now even if he tried. He couldn't even ask. Where would he look first? This world was even more unfamiliar and confusing than the one back at home, was. If Ryou was gone too, how could he ask him for help? Was Yugi looking for him, too? How did this all have anything to do with the second goal?

He'd have to find some way to start looking for Yugi... he didn't have any money, as far as he knew, and this character's parents weren't too keen on letting her leave without good explanation, and even then, it would be hard to escape.

He'd have to speak to them. Would they notice? He'd spoken to the mother before. It hadn't been too difficult. What time was it? 10:00AM? She'd be awake.

He opened the door, stepping out into the cold hallway, looking for one of the character's parents.

He remembered from his time watching Yugi live in the city before he remembered who he was, that there was a bus stop within walking distance of the house. He'd go anywhere it would take him. He'd search the entire city on foot, if he had to.

"Mom?" He tried. It sounded awkward.

"Yeah?" Good. This was going good so far. Now just to think of a decent excuse to get out of the house. The character was plenty old enough to go places by herself, so it shouldn't be too hard.

"I've got a friend coming to pick me up. Could I have a few dollars?"

The mom looked surprised.

"What? Where are you going?"

"Out. She didn't say where we're going, but I figured you'd be alright with it."

He had no idea how much bus tickets cost. It didn't matter. If he couldn't afford it, he'd walk. Either way, he was going to search every inch of this city.

"Alright." The mom agreed. "Here's $20. Don't get anything with sugar in it." She hadn't even noticed. Perhaps he was a better actor than he gave himself credit for.

"Thank you."

He went back to her room, putting anything he might need in her messenger bag. An extra T-shirt, the money, her phone, the charger. This was it. He'd find Yugi if it was the last thing he did.

It was a good half hour walk to the bus stop. He waited there, not quite knowing what to do when it actually got there. He didn't care where it was going. Somewhere public, he hoped. Lots of people. The more people, the better chance Yugi would be there.

He wasn't used to this. He wasn't used to this character's body. He found that his lungs were practically on fire by the time he was to the bus stop. He had to catch his breath for several minutes. Yugi was in far better shape than this character was. There was a culture difference, as well as many others. Yugi was Japanese, and this girl was American. Usually, there wouldn't be much difference, only, Japan was much better set up for walking. People could work to work, or to the train station. Here, in this game's version of America, or at least in this city, to walk pretty much anywhere meant dodging 5 lanes of very fast moving cars.

As such, the girl hadn't been used to walking nearly as much as Yugi was. He walked to school every day. This character hardly walked anywhere.

So by the time he caught his breath, his throat was painfully dry, and he thought he should have brought some water with him.

The bus was taking too long, so he sat on the bench. He was in an unfamiliar city, in a game, without his partner to help him whatsoever at all. This was going to be hard. He really couldn't bear to be without him. It wasn't pleasant. Going as far back as he could possibly remember, Yugi had always been with him.

He was nearly to tears when he looked up.

It was cold that day. It wasn't something he had paid much attention to. He slipped the girl's coat on, and went for his long walk to the bus stop anyway. The air was dry, and it burned his lips and his throat and his lungs, but he didn't have time for any of that.

But this...

Snow was gently drifting to the ground.

It was snowing.

He reached out to catch a snowflake. It quickly melted in his hand. It was sticking to the ground all around him.

"...I miss you, Aibou..."


	3. Chapter 3

Standing in the mall parking lot, Yugi had to formulate a plan. He couldn't remember where the house was. He knew it wasn't far from the mall, but the street it was on was annoyingly blank in his memory.

He'd look to make sure Yami wasn't here first. Then he'd decide what to do. He couldn't go back the the girl's house. That wasn't an option. He had to find Yami, and he had to make him recognize him somehow without telling him who he was.

Snow.

It was snowing.

He wondered if Yami was somewhere where he could see it. Yugi missed him. Maybe he'd be here? Maybe he'd find Ryou? How would Ryou know who he was? Hmm... the rules didn't say anything about telling Ryou who he was. Only that he couldn't tell Yami. So, he could tell Ryou. He could find him, tell him, and then he'd be getting somewhere.

Once he was inside the mall, he could start his plan. It may have been a stupid plan, but it was better than nothing. He knew Ryou would look different now. But Ryou would remember what he looked like.

"Excuse me?" He'd ask, "I'm looking for my friend. He's about this tall, with long white hair and brown eyes. Have you seen him?"

The first few people gave him funny looks. Long white hair wasn't a common trait. The plan wasn't to find someone who'd seen him. No, that wasn't what he was going for at all. Especially since he knew that Ryou probably wouldn't look like himself right now, anyway. It was really just a plan B. A little insurance. Something so that he wouldn't miss Ryou simply because neither of them knew what the other looked like.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?!"

"Uhh... I'm homeschooled." he quickly improvised. He wasn't about to get locked in some classroom. This was way more important.

He went all around the mall, asking the same question.

He came up to a shy looking teenage boy, with short scruffy brown hair, and dark brown eyes. He looked to be around 17 or 18.

"Excuse me," he started again, "I'm looking for my friend. Do you think you could help me?"

"Sure." He said. Accent. Oh gosh, that was an accent. "What does this friend of yours look like?" He said smiling sweetly. Of course, Yugi did look like a lost little girl at the moment.

"Uhh... well, he's about this tall," Yugi raised his hand about where he imagined Ryou would stand, "And he's got long white hair, and brown eyes."

The boy's eyes went wide in shock.

"_**Y-Yugi!?**_"

Was it...? Could it be...?

"Ryou...? Please, please tell me it's you!"

The boy sighed in obvious relief,

"It's me."

Yugi couldn't help himself. He threw Ryou into a tight hug. It can't have looked good to everyone else, but he really didn't care. He could pass them off as siblings, if anyone bothered them.

"Ryou! I'm so glad to see you! I've been so confused, and I just don't know what to do, and I can't go back to that house, and-" he stopped to breathe.

"So you got the same rules I did? We have to find them, and we can't tell them who we are?"

"Mhm."

"I think it'd be best if we didn't use our real names for now. What's your character's name?"

"Jenny. People sometimes call her Jen."

"Alright Jen, I'm Thomas. This way, even if we run into them, we won't give each other away. Sound good?"

He nodded.

"Do you remember where I used to live? In the game? He erased my memory of it. I can't figure out how to get back there..."

"I remember it... how do you plan to get in...? They don't know you..."

"I have a plan. It'll be hard, but I think it'll work."

They decided to walk to her house. It would be nearly a two hour walk, but it was only one in the afternoon, so if they hurried, they could make it.

But on the way out the door, something surprising happened.

"R-eh-Thomas! Look!"

There was Yami. He didn't look like himself, but Yugi remembered what his last character in the game looked like, and that was her. He looked worn out and desperate. He had her messenger bag thrown over his shoulder, and a bus pass in his hand.

"Jen, don't overreact. Be careful. Don't give yourself away."

They turned around and followed him back inside.

"Can I... talk to him?"

"I should think so... otherwise, how would you win? Just don't break any rules... You'll have to be careful. Remember, he has no idea who you are..."

"Hey! Hey, Hannah! Over here!"

Of course, he didn't even turn his head.

Yugi ran after him, hoping no adults would get onto him for running in the mall.

"Hey!"

He finally caught up and tapped him on the shoulder. That's when he noticed. He was taller. Yugi was considerably taller. As serious as the situation was, he had to hide a laugh.

"Do... I know you?"

That hurt. Oh gosh, that hurt. It wasn't his voice, but it was definitely him behind it. It was his tone. Yugi knew that confused sound all too well.

"Yeah! Come on, Hannah, don't tell me you don't remember me!" This was hard. Very hard. He hoped he was hiding the hurt in his eyes well enough.

"I... No."

"Your friend Jen, remember? It's been so long since I've seen you! What have you been up to?"

It took every single ounce of his self control not to hug him and tell him he missed him and tell him exactly who he was.

"...Nothing. Just... looking for someone."

"Oh? Anything I can help with?"

"...No."

Yugi's heart broke. He was looking for him. Yami was looking for him. And here he was, having to pretend he was someone else. He didn't want to look suspicious, or he'd risk losing the game right then and there.

"Well, it was nice seeing you again! I hope you find whoever you're looking for!"

"Thank you."

Yugi managed to hold his tears back until he turned around.

Once he and Ryou walked out of earshot, back to the outside of the mall, he let his tears silently slide down his face.

"He was **right there**! What if... what if I can't do this...?"

"Don't worry. You can. What's your plan? Will it still work?"

"Yeah..."

Yugi and Ryou started back to Yugi's character's house. Yami would have to go back there, at the end of the day. At least, Yugi hoped he would. Could he do this without looking suspicious? If Yami didn't suspect him just now, he wouldn't suspect him later, either. No matter the circumstance.

There was a hill a few blocks from the house the character lived in, Yugi discovered, when Ryou told him they weren't far.

"Hey... I have to ask you something hard...ok?" It had snowed a bit which was going to make this all the more painful. The hill went with the road, so it was paved, complete with sidewalk.

"What is it...?" Ryou hadn't been expecting the question.

Yugi double checked to make sure there was no one around. He had to use his real name here, or he wouldn't sound serious enough.

"Ryou. I need you to push me down the hill. Hard."

"Wh-what?! Why?"

"Just do it... please? It's part of my plan...it's gonna hurt, but the more beat up I look, the better."

"Why...?"

"Trust me?"

"I...I can't...I can't do that to you!"

"Please? It's pretty slippery. I suppose I could just-"

"Yugi."

"I need to look beat up, and I need it to be real. Unless you want to beat me up with your hands... this is the easiest way..."

"Are you sure...?"

It was getting dark out. They had been walking for nearly two hours, and they took a half hour break in the middle. The snow was still falling, and was sticking, so the whole world was becoming more and more white as they walked.

"Please. Make it hurt, but try not to break anything, if you can..."

They stood at the top of the fairly steep hill, in the middle of the road. The snow had everyone scared to drive, so there wasn't a lot of traffic in their way.

Yugi took his coat off, to make sure more skin was exposed. He had to look pretty hurt. It was all part of his plan.

Yugi threw the coat off to the side. He wouldn't need it anymore. This plan was more immoral than anything he had done in a long time, but it would work. He had lied before. He had hidden things from people before.

"Ok... I'm ready."

"I don't want to do this..."

"Look, there are no cars right now. If we hurry, I bet we could still get to the house before it gets completely dark. But first, I need you to push me down this hill. If I don't look hurt enough at that point, you'll have to hit me. So don't hold back."

"If you're sure..."

Yugi stiffened. He was sure, but that didn't mean this wouldn't hurt.

"A-Alright... 3... 2...1-"

Ryou pushed him. He didn't hold back. But he hadn't accounted for the strength of his character, and Yugi went _flying_.

He flipped over his head once, and then managed to keep flipping on his side all the way down, hitting the pavement hard every few seconds, as he spun down the hill. Ryou ran after him. He felt unimaginably guilty. Why would Yugi have to hurt himself in order for this plan to work?

"Yugi!" He called, not caring who heard.

"Yugi! Are you ok?"

Yugi hit the bottom with a loud thud, and a groan.

"Yugi!" Ryou got on his knees at his side, carefully pulling him up off of the ground.

"Th-thanks..."

Ryou couldn't believe he had done this. Without even his coat to protect him, he'd skinned both of his elbows, and his ripped through his jeans and was bleeding on his knees. He had what was obviously going to become bruises on his face, arms, and pretty much everywhere else.

He slowly sat up.

"How bad is my face...? I don't taste blood."

"You... You look pretty bad..."

"Punch me."

"No!"

"I don't think this is enough! Punch me!"

"No."

"Ryou! Please!"

Yugi tried to stand up, only to realize that he'd bruised his heel, and it was painful to put any weight on it.

"No, Yugi." Even if Yugi's character was taller than his last one, she was still pretty small compared to Ryou's character, who was tall even for a teenaged boy.

"Let me help you..."

Yugi allowed him to pick him up and start carrying him the rest of the way.

"I-It's...cold..."

"I know. I'm sorry. We'll be there soon. I hope this plan of yours works..."

"It'll work...do I look really beat up?"

Ryou put him down to get a good look at him. He had somehow managed a black eye, in all that. His hair was an absolute mess, and his clothes were bloody.

"Yeah..."

"Good."

Ryou carried him until he street before the house.

"Are we close...?"

Yugi was freezing. His fingers had gone numb a long time ago, and now it was spreading.

"It's just on the next street."

"Put me down."

"Yugi!"

"Put me down, I can walk on my own."

Ryou put him down, and he started to limp the rest of the way.

Without words, Ryou put his arm around him to let Yugi use him as a crutch. Yugi didn't protest.

They finally got to the house. "This is it?"

"This is it. What's your plan?"

"You won't punch me?"

"No."

"Fine..."

Without warning, Yugi reached down and got a handful of gravel shards from the side of the road, and shoved it into his skinned knee.

"Ah!"

"Yugi!"

"There..."

He was tearing up. Perfect.

"Stay here, Ryou."

He limped up to the door, and didn't hold back his pain induced tears at all.

He knocked a few times, letting himself cry as hard as he wanted to.

"P-Please...? I-...I need help! I'm hurt, a-and it's so cold-"

The door quickly opened, and Yugi's former character's mother gasped.

"What happened?!"

"I-I'm sorry, ma'am. I g-got hurt. I'm a long way from h-home..."

"Come in, come in. Here, let me get you a towel."

Ryou was astonished, and a bit angry. _That_ was Yugi's plan? Use sympathy to get in? He really wouldn't have expected it of him. Then again, it _did_ work. Yugi was nothing if not absolutely excellent at strategy games. Even Duel Monsters sometimes required dishonesty. Part of being a good strategist was knowing when to use it.

He called his ride home, coming up with a cover story as to why he was so far from the mall in the dark.

The character's mom brought Yugi inside, got him a blanket, and sat him down somewhere comfortable while she went to get medical supplies.

He honestly felt _**horrible**_ about doing this. He didn't like being dishonest. But he couldn't think of any other way inside. At least, not for the whole night. He knew that he appeared to be a young girl, a very innocent little girl, who was hurt. He knew that would get him in the same house as Yami. Probably to stay the night, if he said he needed it.

He had to wonder if Yami was even home yet. What would he do? They weren't used to being separated. It reminded Yugi too much of the time before he completed the Puzzle. He'd been through worse beatings than this.

"Mom, what- who's that?"

The word sounded really awkward, coming from him.

"Oh, Hannah, this is Jenny. She's had a rough night, so she's staying here tonight. It's alright if she sleeps in your bedroom, I assume?"

"Yes... I don't see why not."

Yugi wanted so badly to tell him. Wanted so badly to hug him, and tell him he was right there, so he could stop looking. Wanted that sad look to leave his eyes.

Without any more words, he turned back to the bedroom.

"W-Wait..."

He stopped.

"Yes?"

"C-Could... you help me? This nice woman has done a lot of work, and she looks tired..." more lies. He was going to hate himself for it, by the time this was over with.

Yugi had made an assumption a long time ago. Whenever he woke up from his blackouts before Duelist Kingdom, he was hurt, but it was always bandaged, or taken care of. So, obviously, Yami knew a thing or two about it.

"Where are you hurt?"

"Well... a little bit of everywhere..."

Someone would have to dig the little pieces of gravel out of his knee. That wouldn't be pleasant.

To his surprise, Yami took the medical supplies from the woman, and started walking towards the bathroom. "Come on."

Yugi didn't think Yami had his magic here, or at least, not at the moment, or else finding Yugi would be easy, so he wouldn't have to worry about the Pharaoh getting angry and sending an entire population of NPCs to the Shadow Realm, or something...

"Here, you can sit on the counter. Where does it hurt the worst?"

Not only did the rules say he couldn't outright tell him who he was, it said he wasn't even allowed to _hint_.

"My knee... I...I fell down a hill."

That part was pretty true.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

He could tell Yami was trying to react "correctly".

"Did you find the person you were looking for?" He asked, as Yami very carefully cleaned the open spots with peroxide.

"...No."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

They sat in silence the rest of the time, until something dawned on Yugi that had for some reason, slipped his mind until this exact moment.

Yami had a physical body right now. Inside the game. They could touch, and it wouldn't be that ghostly almost-touch. They could do the impossible. They could be there to comfort each other with an actual hand on a shoulder. They could even hug. It was unheard of. It was insane. That didn't happen. Even in their soul rooms, where they could hug if they wanted, and they had, neither of them could really feel it. This changed things a little.

Yugi was granted a sleeping bag, a bunch of extra pillows, and hot chocolate, as he was settling in the bedroom he would share with Yami, at least for tonight. Now he just had to get him to realize who he was. Once that happened, it would all be over. Or at least, this goal would be.

He realized that this was probably Yami's first time actually requiring sleep in... thousands of years.

He yawned, much to Yugi's interest. He'd never seen the spirit tired, before. Not like this.

"Do you want to come with me to look for my friend, tomorrow? I could use some help..."

"I'll help you. We'll find them, wherever they are."

"Thank you." He said, just before yawning again.

"You look like you had a long day..."

"You know... I did."

Now it was Yugi's turn to yawn. It was contagious, doggone it.

"Tired?"

Yami asked, noticing, of course.

"Maybe a little..."

"Why don't we both get some rest. We'll need to start looking early tomorrow. This person I'm looking for... they're very important to me."

"Alright..."

Yugi said, rolling over on his side in the sleeping bag, and letting his eyes close.

He could still manage this, somehow. He'd figure this out. He'd win.


	4. Chapter 4

Once the bus finally got there, Yami figured out how to pay the driver, and was informed that this bus would take him to the city mall. Good.

The ride there was silent. He didn't speak to anyone. His first and only priority was to get Yugi back. Yugi wasn't hard to miss, so surely finding him wouldn't be that hard.

What would he do if he didn't find him? Would he go back to the house? How could he live with himself if he couldn't find him? Was Yugi looking for him, too?

The bus stopped and he stepped out into the snow, making sure he still had the phone and the money.

It was a Friday, so there weren't many teenagers, but he was going to search every inch of the place, before he was done. Before he even had time to look properly, a girl stopped him. He didn't have time for this. He had to find Yugi.

Who was this girl? One of the character's friends?

"Do... I know you?"

He could blow the whole thing right here, if he wasn't careful. He was supposed to be playing a character, but how could he pretend to know someone when he had no idea who they were? He had never seen this girl before.

"Yeah! Come on, Hannah, don't tell me you don't remember me!"

There were two options here. Lie, and try to wing it, or tell the truth. He could pretend to know this random girl, but where would that get him? He was wasting time.

"I... No."

"Your friend Jen, remember? It's been so long since I've seen you! What have you been up to?"

No, he didn't remember, because he wasn't this character, and he didn't have time for this. He needed to get rid of her. Quickly.

"...Nothing. Just... looking for someone."

Which he needed to get back to.

"Oh? Anything I can help with?"

What? Now she wanted to tag along? No, that wouldn't work at all. He couldn't have someone holding him back.

"...No."

There was a strange look of hurt in the girls eyes, but he ignored it. He needed to find his partner. He couldn't waste time gossiping all day.

As she was turning to leave, she said

"Well, it was nice seeing you again! I hope you find whoever you're looking for!"

He could use a little luck in that department.

"Thank you."

And he could finally begin his search. He went around each floor of the mall three times before giving in to defeat. Yugi wasn't here. At least, not today. He'd try somewhere different, tomorrow.

He caught the bus back home, just as it was getting dark.

He had no other choice. He had to go back to the house. He'd call it "home base". Every day that he failed to find his partner, he'd return to home base, think it over, make a plan, and search more the next day.

This was a game, and he was good at games, but this was different. There were no rules to follow, and no goals other than the vague, "find Yugi", which was easier said than done. So far, he had failed himself, failed his Hikari, and he was failing the game. He'd have to do better than this.

It was so sudden. He just woke up this morning (which was an odd thing all by itself) without Yugi. He had no warning. No time to plan.

It wasn't until he got home that he realized he hadn't eaten all day. He'd have to do that, wouldn't he. And sleep. This was all new, and it was frightening, even if he wouldn't admit it, or let it show. He needed Yugi now more than ever. Yugi was there to guide him just as much as he was there to protect Yugi. Or, so it should have been.

He finally ventured out into the rest of the house to find food, when he noticed someone else was there.

It was the girl from the mall. She looked horrible. She was crying, her hair was a mess, and she was bruised and bleeding. He felt a little bad for her, but he had more important things to think about.

"Who's that?"

"Oh, Hannah, this is Jenny. She's had a rough night, so she's staying here tonight. It's alright if she sleeps in your bedroom, I assume?"

What an inconvenience. He had work to do and things to figure out, and now a little girl needed to share the bedroom he was staying in? She did look pretty bad...

"Yes... I don't see why not."

He turned to go back to the bedroom, to continue planning and thinking. This was too hard. Being without Yugi was too hard. He didn't have time for hurt little girls, even if he did feel bad. He was too distracted with finding his partner.

"W-Wait..."

He should have kept walking. He wanted to ignore her and keep walking, but then he thought, that wasn't what Yugi would want. Yugi would rush over to help the girl, and he'd be happy to let her stay in their bedroom. He could at least see what she wanted.

"Yes?"

She looked so sad. So desperate. So hurt.

"C-Could... you help me? This nice woman has done a lot of work, and she looks tired..."

She wanted his help? Why? If times had been different, he wouldn't have done it. Yugi taught him compassion, and apparently, it stuck.

"Where are you hurt?"

It looked pretty bad. He wondered how she managed to get in such a state. She looked fine earlier in the day, when they met.

"Well... a little bit of everywhere..."

She was handling the pain pretty well for a girl her age, it seemed. She looked hurt, but she wasn't crying hard anymore.

Yugi would be quick to help her. Knowing that, and wanting to do what was right, despite not having Yugi to help, he took what he would need to help her from the character's mom, and started towards the bathroom.

"Come on."

He turned back to see her limping behind him. When she finally made it there, he said,

"Here, you can sit on the counter. Where does it hurt the worst?"

He wanted to help, but he also didn't need to let himself get distracted. This could easily be a distraction or trap sent by Yami Bakura to throw him off.

"My knee... I...I fell down a hill."

He knew enough to help her, considering that he'd cleaned and bandaged Yugi's wounds the first few times he got hurt in shadow games. That was before Yugi was fully aware of him.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

He quietly, carefully, cleaned all of the open wounds he could find, which was more than he expected, until she spoke again.

"Did you find the person you were looking for?"

So she did remember meeting him earlier. She had no idea how much of a touchy subject she'd just brought up.

"...No."

She looked remorseful, but not surprised.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

He did all he could for her, including wrap a sprained ankle, and then turned her over to the character's mother.

She found a sleeping bag, pillows, and made her hot chocolate. Meanwhile, Yami sat on the bed, legs crossed, thinking.

This girl could easily be a trap. A distraction, sent to throw him off. He'd hate to admit it, but he had enjoyed her company... he'd been so lonely that day, it was nice to be talking to anyone, even some random npc girl.

He yawned, realizing all over again that he would actually have to sleep, or things would get difficult. He hadn't ever been tired. Not like this. This was new. But he couldn't let his surprise at the odd feeling show through. Not with the girl here. Speaking of the girl...

"Do you want to come with me to look for my friend, tomorrow? I could use some help..."

The look on her face was sincere as she replied,

"I'll help you. We'll find them, wherever they are."

He was thankful that she was so willing to help, even though they had hardly met, but he still had to be careful. He couldn't let her hold him back, or steer him wrong.

"Thank you."

He yawned again. Being tired was highly inconvenient. He needed more time to think, but his mind was just as tired as his body was.

"You look like you had a long day..." , the girl said, catching how worn out he looked.

"You know... I did."

He had looked everywhere for Yugi. Everywhere. In all of his searching, for hours, he was unsuccessful. It was a horrible feeling to know that he'd tried so hard, and made so little progress.

The girl looked tired, as well. She yawned, rubbing her eyes, trying to stay awake long enough to finish her hot chocolate.

"Tired?"

He asked, feeling a bit of familiarity in the situation, despite how absolutely foreign it was.

"Maybe a little..."

Familiar words.

"Why don't we both get some rest. We'll need to start looking early tomorrow. This person I'm looking for... they're very important to me."

"Alright..." The girl said sleepily, as she rolled over onto her side to sleep.

Yami didn't sleep right away. The room was dark, and he was tired, but the sheer new-ness of the situation kept him awake. He'd been mentally tired before. Plenty of times. And he had rested before, falling into what could almost be called sleep, but he was sure didn't count. This was different.

How did sleep work? Well, he knew well enough, watching Yugi... but he'd never actually slept, himself. What an odd realization.

He laid there, eyes closed, waiting to drift off. Easier said than done. Once Yugi was back, he would tell him all of this.

After an hour or so, he finally managed to fall into sleep.

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'm sorry it took me so long to post. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Oh, and speaking of reviews, someone asked a very good question in a recent one, and I figured I'd answer it here, just to make it clear to everyone, since I didn't really fully explain it in the original story. **

**What was the point of the first goal, if Yami just ended up forcing Yugi to remember anyway, and if he could have done that all along? **

**The first goal was for Yugi and Ryou to remember who they were, _by themselves, with no help_. Returning any of their memories to them was against the rules. **

**However, before Yugi was even aware of Yami's presence, Bakura got impatient, and he _cheated_, and made Ryou remember everything. **

**When he did that, little did he know, Ryou's character's memories were so deeply embedded in his mind that they, or that personality, wasn't going to give up without a fight. Ryou's soul split into pieces, and the character's memories clung to one of them. Thus, why they both exist. Ryou and his character both exist within the same body now, for that reason. **

**Yami knew this, at least, after chapter 11, and that's why he didn't give Yugi his memories back right away. Because he didn't want to risk spitting his soul into pieces. **

**In the final chapter, he debated ending it, and he knew that his decision decided the safety of Yugi's soul. **

**That's why he didn't end it sooner. **

**So, I hope that clears that up! **

**Sometimes I forget that I have deeper details of the story in my head, than I have written down. **


	5. Chapter 5

Yugi woke up to a sound he hoped he'd never hear. He laid completely still, listening.

There it was again.

A choked sob.

He didn't move. He didn't want Yami to know he was awake, especially if he was really crying.

It was quiet, but he could hear it. Quiet crying. It pained him to hear it. Was Yami that upset without him there?

He carefully shifted, so that he could look at him, but so that he'd still think Yugi was still asleep.

Yugi could tell by the angered look on his face that he was trying hard to hold back his tears. There were dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept well at all.

He had to win this second goal. And soon. He couldn't stand to see his Yami in pain like that. Especially not if he had caused it.

He watched him cry quietly for half an hour, before he finally calmed himself down. He wanted so badly to fix it. To tell him it was alright. To say "I'm right here". To comfort him. He didn't think he'd ever seen him cry like that. Ever. He'd gotten upset before, and he may have even shed a tear or two, but never, ever like this. He was all out sobbing, be it quietly.

He sat up, and Yami all but glared at him.

"You're awake."

"Mhm... Mornin'."

He couldn't even drop hints. He could let him know right now. It wouldn't take much. If he so much as used his name right now, it would probably tell him. But he couldn't. He couldn't let him know who he was yet, and it wasn't fair. They were both going to go looking for him today, even though he was right here, and he had to somehow shift Yami's attention from searching, to him. Right here. Right in front of him. If he just paid attention, he'd notice soon...

"Get ready." Yami said as he stood up. "I want to leave soon. If you still wish to accompany me, I suggest you're ready in 10 minutes."

This whole second goal hurt, Yugi decided.

It hurt to watch Yami looking for him like that when he was right here. But Yugi got up and got ready anyway. He knew Yami wouldn't mind if he took one of the character's coats from the closet.

His character's mom expected him back today... he'd have to deal with that somehow. For now, he stuffed his thick long hair in a hat. Yami Bakura said that the rules said that he couldn't make himself look anything like his original self, or it wouldn't work, but surely this didn't count. He actually thought he looked a little bit like Mokuba would if he was a few years older, and a girl.

He met Yami at the door.

"Where are we going?"

Yami turned around, and surprised Yugi. He glared at him.

"Listen to me. You will not get in my way, and you will not slow me down. This search is no laughing matter. I have no time for small talk, or distractions."

_Yami... _He thought. His other self was so desperate to find him, that he had no idea he was standing right in front of him.

"I understand."

He said, following him when he started walking down the sidewalk at a fast pace.

Yugi remembered something Yami told him in the game. It was after he was realizing he was himself, but he hadn't remembered it yet.

"_It wouldn't matter who you looked like, I'd still recognize you." _

The memory of the statement brought tears to his eyes. 'Would you really, Yami?' He thought.

If he could only bring back that attitude. Yami was so determined to find him that it was blinding him to any other possibilities. He wasn't thinking "What if Yugi looks different?" No, he had "no time" for that. And so, Yugi was stuck following just behind him, not able to tell him, or even hint at who he was.

It was funny how recognizable he was to Yugi, even though he looked nothing like himself. He was a short nerdy girl right now, but Yugi could take one look at him and tell exactly who he was. It was the way he stood. The way he walked like he owned the world, even if he couldn't understand it. The look in his eyes when he was glaring at an opponent.

Yugi followed him all the way to the bus stop before he finally started getting texts.

"Omg u hit club last nite? How was it? U hungover?"

Were teenage girls really this bad?! Apparently, this one was. And Yugi was about to spin her a story that was even worse.

"Ya... hey I left with a guy last nite. Cover 4 me?"

"How drunk r u jen?! How am I gonna cover that?"

"I won't b back 4 a while, just cover me."

"Fine... would ur mom believe u went 2 the school basketball camp?"

"Ya."

"Got u covered."

Wow. Teenage girls. They seemed loyal, but totally rebellious at the same time.

When he looked up from the phone, the bus was pulling up.

He didn't speak until they sat down next to each other.

"This friend you're looking for... what's their name...?"

Yami looked caught between sadness and anger at the question.

"...His name is Yugi."

"Oh... weird name... what happened...? Did he run away...?" Yugi knew that was pushing it, but at least he was being able to keep his cover for the moment.

"No. He's just... gone." There was a tone of sadness in his voice that made Yugi's heart ache.

"Well... I'll help you find him."

"Thank you."

Yami looked suspicious, but not the right kind of suspicious. The bus ride was quiet until Yugi heard something that almost made him laugh. A stomach growling. Yami growled right back at it in annoyance.

"...How long's it been since you've eaten...?" Yugi asked, genuinely concerned.

"I... A while. I don't have time for that. ...I'm too worried to eat."

"Y-", he caught himself just in time. "You'll get sick if you don't eat anything!"

He sat there quietly, not responding to Yugi.

"Alright, better yet, if you don't eat, you'll run out of energy and you won't be able to look for your friend anymore."

Now that Yugi was getting a good look, he didn't look well at all. He looked weak and tired.

"Have you even eaten anything today...?"

"...No."

"Yesterday...?"

"...No."

Yugi had to catch himself again before he said his name loudly.

"Ok, how about this: We'll stop somewhere when we get off the bus, and we can both get something to eat."

"I don't have time for-"

His stomach growling cut him off.

"You have a little money, right? We'll make it quick. We'll go to a fast food place or something, just so that you don't go hungry..."

"...Fine. But only because I think... I might... not do so well, if I don't..." He swayed a little in his seat, the combination of not sleeping well and not eating finally getting to him.

"You can't go without eating...no matter how upset you are... This friend, Yugi, right? He wouldn't want you to make yourself sick..."

Yugi felt bad. This was all his fault, wasn't it? Yami was really this upset without him? He'd really go to these lengths to find him?

He was getting to experience life like never before, and he wasn't able to enjoy it at all...

"I... I don't..."

He had gone from looking like he was trying to hide his weakness, to just trying to stay awake.

"What's wrong? Are you ok?"

Yugi was starting to get more and more worried about him.

"Hannah?" He hated using his character's name.

"I..."

Yugi was taller than him at the moment, especially since he wasn't sitting up straight. That was odd. His face went from an annoyed glare, to confusion, and then... nothing.

Yugi was shocked as Yami swayed, and then fell into his lap. Yugi was panicking. What happened? He hadn't eaten in two days... he passed out? This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. He couldn't have this. Yami was so worried about him that he'd neglect his health like this...? Yugi knew he wasn't used to... well, being alive. But that was no excuse...

Yugi found that being taller than Yami right now was extremely helpful. He checked his pulse, and sighed in relief when his vital signs seemed fine. He was fine for now, but when he woke up, he had to eat. He couldn't keep going on like this.

Yugi let him rest, unconscious, with his head in his lap until the bus stopped.

"This is our stop..."

No movement. Yugi didn't think he needed immediate medical attention... he seemed fine, except for the fact that he had just passed out. Well, it didn't seem he was going to wake up...

Yugi picked him up, something he couldn't have done, if his character wasn't taller than him at the moment, and carried him off of the bus. No one stopped to see if they were ok. No one even questioned it. 'What has this world come to?' Yugi thought, when he walked by everyone, carrying an unconscious person and no one gave him a second look.

Yugi was managing to hold him bridal style, but only just. He wasn't that much taller than him, and he wasn't sure that he was any stronger right now, either.

What would Yugi do if he didn't wake up? Call 911? No, he couldn't do that.. not really.

"You... You can wake up now...Please?"

Yugi laid him carefully on the grass beside the sidewalk, and got on his knees beside him, brushing his bangs out of his face.

"Yami..." He whispered, knowing he was risking everything, but not really caring.

"...Mm..."

He finally moved, slowly waking up.

He blinked, confused looking, and scanned the area, trying to figure out where he was.

"Don't touch me..."

Yugi immediately withdrew his hands, one of which was holding Yami's hand, and the other still in his hair. He was slightly hurt at his Yami's harsh words. The first time Yugi was ever able to physically interact with him, or comfort him, and here he was, telling him not to touch him...

"S-Sorry..."

"What happened?"

"You... You fainted."

"...What...?"

"Come on." Yugi helped him to his feet slowly. "You need to eat, or it'll just happen again."

Yami pushed him away. "I said, don't touch me."

"Sorry..."

He was standing, but he looked wobbly. He took a couple of steps, and then fell to his knees. Yugi stepped closer to help but, but he held out a hand to stop him.

"I'm fine. I can do this myself."

He got back to his feet, took a few more unsteady looking steps, and then quickly reached out for something to steady him, just before he fell backwards.

Yugi stood in front of him, being more careful this time not to rush to his aid.

"Are... you sure you don't need help?"

"I... I can't see... everything's...spinning..."

"Can I help you now?"

"Have to... find... Aibou..."

"Come on." Yugi said, helping him up whether he liked it or not.

"I... I feel... confused."

"Yeah, that's what happens when you don't eat or sleep... how long has it been since you've even had anything to drink?"

"...Yesterday morning..."

"Hannah..." Yugi said quietly, trying to get the affection and concern he wanted to convey, into the horrible character's name that he hated using. It was a nice name, it just wasn't Yami. It didn't fit him at all.

He led them both into the closest fast food place he could find, and left Yami in the booth while he went to order enough food for both of them.

When he came back, waiting to hear the number of their order yelled across the room, he wanted to make small talk. Start conversation. He'd somehow get Yami to realize who he was, without dropping any hints, or using any names.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm fine."

He didn't look fine at all.

"No... really."

"I..." he sighed, "I don't feel so well..."

"Yeah. That's to be expected with what you're doing... you'll get even sicker if you don't stop it..."

He was silent, seemingly having nothing to reply to that.

"You know, Yugi wouldn't want-"

"Don't you dare."

"Wh-what?"

"Don't you _dare_ talk like you know him."

"But I-...I just-..."

"You have no idea what he's like, or what he'd want."

Yugi stopped and thought about it. Either, Yami would forgive him for this later, or they were going to lose the game. Either way, it didn't matter.

"I know he'd want you not to neglect your health like you're doing..."

"Shut up."

The words stung. It was the harshest he'd ever spoken to him. So, when he was here, and he was being himself but Yami didn't know it was him, that's what he thought of him? He seemed to be annoyed by him... was that how it was? Was that how it would be, if they were separated in the real world?

There were tears behind his eyes. He shouldn't cry right here in front of him... but a couple of them escaped him anyway.

Would they ever be friends like they were before? They were closer than friends. Closer than brothers. They were eternal soul-partners. Something that had few words able to describe it, and nothing to compare it to.

Was this second goal ruining all of that? If Yami didn't stop looking for him and realize that he was right here the entire time, he'd never realize it was him... they'd be endlessly searching for him in this game forever...

He wondered how strongly Bakura meant, "no hinting". He couldn't just, not be himself. Surely acting like himself didn't count as hinting.

How could Yugi win if he really had no control over the situation? How could he win if there was nothing he could do except for be himself and wait?

For now he supposed he could keep Yami healthy, and maybe even get him not to hate him as much...

Did he really hate him? Surely he didn't _hate_ him. He was just frustrated... Yugi felt bad. Before, they learned things together. Before, if Yami wanted to know anything, Yugi was always there, ready to tell him, or even to show him, in the form of his own memories... now, they couldn't do any of that.

It was glorious, because Yugi could interact with him in a way that had never been possible before, but it was a double edged sword, because Yami wouldn't know it was him.

Yugi would continue to be himself. He'd try to get Yami to loosen up a little, and then he could continue to be there for him like he always was before.


	6. Chapter 6

He hadn't slept well. His short hours of sleep were filled with nightmares of never finding Yugi. Of wandering forever in this game with no hope, or worse, of losing the game entirely. Of never getting his Aibou back.

He laid awake and when it neared morning, it all really hit him again. Yugi was gone. He couldn't find him. He was somewhere out there, and he had no idea where he was. He would have to function at least one more day without any communication with his partner, whatsoever. It wasn't fair. He missed him. He knew he lived without him before, but it didn't matter, because he couldn't remember any of that.

He tried desperately to hold back his tears. Emotions had a chemical and physical effect that he wasn't expecting, as he felt the first of many tears sliding down his face. He was supposed to be _strong_. He wasn't supposed to be sitting here crying over-... oh... that's right. Yugi wasn't with him. That's when he really started crying, frustrated over how hard it was to hold it back. If he woke up the girl sleeping on the floor beside him, he'd be angry with himself.

He still wasn't sure if she was a trap, or a distraction, or just an annoying NPC.

He needed help. Sure, he was strong. Sure, he was capable of apparently leading an entire country, but right now, he had lost his partner, and that was all there was, and all that mattered.

He didn't understand it. What was the second goal of the game? Was it to find Yugi and Ryou? How was that even possible, with no rules and no explanation as to what had happened?

He didn't remember falling asleep the first night. He remembered sitting there, Yugi finally being himself again, both of them happy, ready to continue the game... and then waking up.

It didn't make any sense.

None of this made any sense, and it made him angry. This wasn't how games worked.

This wasn't the same as if two regular people had been separated. No, this was far deeper, and far different.

For as long as Yami could remember, he existed within the Millennium Puzzle, and in a sense, within Yugi's soul. Next to it. He could always feel Yugi's soul next to his own. His kind heart, and his smiles, and- those thoughts were just making him cry harder.

He wasn't used to any of this. Only once or twice had he ever been in control of Yugi's body for even close to this long, and even then, it sometimes had a hint of a "not right" feeling.

This wasn't even Yugi. This was a character in a game. It wasn't what he was used to on so many levels.

He finally managed to calm himself down, after crying for a while. He hadn't woken the girl up, at he? It didn't appear so...

He felt drained. Tired, and weak, and a little dizzy... no matter, he didn't have time for any of that, he had to continue looking for Yugi. He didn't think he could handle being without him for much longer.

The sleeping girl shifted, and the movement was too careful to have been one in sleep.

"You're awake."

"Mhm... mornin'."

He couldn't stand her casual tone, in this sort of a crisis. He stood up, trying desperately not to show how dizzy he was.

"Get ready."

Why had he asked this girl to follow him around? It didn't matter, what was done, was done. He'd just have to lay down the rules.

"I want to leave soon. If you still wish to accompany me, I suggest you're ready in 10 minutes."

There was something he liked about the girl, but he wouldn't let himself think about it. Until he found Yugi, she was unimportant.

He pulled his shoes on, still ignoring the dizziness, and the sick feeling that was quickly intensifying.

He waited at the door. It would be nice to have some company, but if she so much as even hinted at the idea of slowing him down, he'd... well, it wouldn't be pretty.

'5 more minutes, and then I leave without her', he thought. Luckily for her, she came running to the door after that.

"Where are we going?"

She was so casual. So... uncaring. He couldn't stand it. He was in the middle of a major crisis, and there she was, acting like they were going out for fun.

"Listen to me," he said glaring at her, to get his point across, "You will not get in my way, and you will not slow me down. This search is no laughing matter. I have no time for small talk, or distractions."

She looked shocked at his words, and even upset. He didn't really care, if he'd upset her. If she didn't like it, she didn't have to go with him.

"I understand."

Being as dizzy as he was, was making it hard to walk straight, but he managed it all the way to the bus stop. He didn't want her to see just how bad he was feeling. That would be showing weakness, and she could easily still be a trap. That was a high possibility, actually.

He looked over at her, and found her texting. Typical teenage girl. Here he was, searching for the other half of his soul, and she was_ texting._

The world spun again, and he lost his balance. He hoped she didn't see it. Still texting.

By the time the bus finally got there, they had both been quiet for a while.

They got on, sitting beside each other. Yami was thankful for the silence, because it allowed him to concentrate on thinking straight, which was annoyingly difficult at the moment.

"This friend you're looking for... what's their name...?" She said suddenly.

Did she have to bring that up now?

"...His name is Yugi."

Why did she want to know? Was she some sort of NPC spy, sent by Bakura to throw him off?

"Oh... weird name... what happened...? Did he run away...?"

Yugi's name wasn't weird. Run away? Did he _run away_? Why must she torment him like this?

"No. He's just... gone."

It hurt to say it out loud.

"Well... I'll help you find him."

But why? Why did she care? As far as he knew, she was an NPC...

"Thank you."

She had to be a trap. A trap sent to throw him off track. He couldn't let her lead him anywhere, or try to distract him.

He was still feeling sick, when his stomach started making noises loud enough for the girl to hear.

He growled, annoyed that it was giving away any information about him, let alone a weakness.

"...How long's it been since you've eaten...?"

Again, why did she care? That was none of her business. Besides, he was too worried to eat. That wasn't something he'd ever have to worry about before, and he certainly didn't have time for it, now.

"I... A while. I don't have time for that. ...I'm too worried to eat."

The girl looked like she was going to yell at him, but she stopped herself. What was wrong with her, anyway?

"You'll get sick if you don't eat anything!"

He didn't have to answer to her. He didn't have to talk to her at all. So he didn't. He just sat there and tried to keep the world from spinning.

"Alright, better yet, if you don't eat, you'll run out of energy and you won't be able to look for your friend anymore."

He heard her, but only just. The world was spinning now, even when he was concentrating hard trying to get it to stand still.

"Have you even eaten anything today...?" He heard, although it sounded sort of distant.

"...No."

He didn't like being honest with her, but he didn't think he could manage a longer answer.

"Yesterday...?"

"...No."

The spinning seemed to slow down for a minute, much to his relief.

"Ok, how about this: We'll stop somewhere when we get off the bus, and we can both get something to eat."

Why was she still talking? Why did that even concern her? What did it mean to her, if he made himself sick? He didn't have time to waste, and he wasn't going to let her steer him in the wrong direction.

"I don't have time for-"

His stomach growled in defiance.

"You have a little money, right? We'll make it quick. We'll go to a fast food place or something, just so that you don't go hungry..."

Her voice was soft, and even caring... as if she was genuinely concerned about him.

"...Fine. But only because I think... I might... not do so well, if I don't..."

The world spun fast once to the right and the slowed again.

"You can't go without eating...no matter how upset you are... This friend, Yugi, right? He wouldn't want you to make yourself sick..."

Was she still talking? Was she talking about Yugi? Why? The world was endlessly spinning in cricles now, and darkness was creeping in the edges of his vision. Why?

"I... I don't..."

He tried desperately to stay awake. She couldn't know how weak he was feeling. She couldn't know his weaknesses, or she might report them back to Bakura somehow.

"What's wrong? Are you ok?"

He heard distantly, as if through a tunnel. It echoed off of the walls, as his vision became more filled with darkness. What was this? He didn't like it at all. It scared him.

"Hannah?"

He thought he heard the character's name being spoken, but it was so far away, and so warped, and he just wanted to sleep and-

"I..."

It was hard to see. Hard to hear. He tried desperately to stay awake, and stay upright. All he had to do was make it until the next bus stop, and then they'd be walking, and there would be more distractions.

Everything was going dark, and it wasn't fair, all he wanted was his partner, and he was nowhere. Why was it so hard to stay awake...? Everything was getting fuzzy, and thinking was even hard.

Soon, everything was dark. Was he falling? Did he fall? Was was everything so... sleep sounded nice... what if he just...

"_Yami..." _

Was that Yugi? That sounded like Yugi. Where was he? What was happening? It felt like someone was holding his hand. Only one person ever did that. Only one person had permission to do that. Was he back, somehow?

He opened his eyes, nearly being blinded by the bright light. Where was he? There was a hand holding his, and another gently going through his hair.

But upon closer inspection, it wasn't Yugi at all. No, it was the girl. The girl who though she could get away with anything, apparently.

"Don't touch me."

She pulled back faster than he could blink, and blushed.

"S-Sorry..."

He was laying down? When did that happen? What happened to the bus? How did he get off?

"What happened?"

There was something about this girl that he liked. He didn't want to admit it, but there was. But even more so, there was something about her that frustrated him. He almost wanted her to stop acting so casual. So normal. This wasn't a normal situation, and she shouldn't have been acting like it was!

"You... You fainted." What? Was that even possible?

"...What...?"

"Come on."

She was slowly helping him up, and he couldn't help but notice how supportive she was, and how much it was unnervingly comforting having her close. It angered him. It reminded him of Yugi.

"I said, don't touch me."

He pushed her away. He couldn't be reminded of his partner. Not right now. Not when he was no closer to finding him, and was feeling so odd.

He tried to walk, but gravity itself seemed to dislike him today, and he fell to his knees.

She walked closer, and he put his hand up, telling her not to take another step.

"I'm fine. I can do this myself."

He got back to his feet, even though every fiber of his being was telling him not to, and tried one more time to walk. Anywhere, really. He just wanted to be able to move on his own. The world really wasn't being kind to him today. The world violently spun around again, and he reached for anything he could hold on to, to keep his balance. Unfortunately, it didn't work, and he ended up falling backwards, dizzy, and laying in the grass.

The girl stepped a little closer, but not too close.

"Are... you sure you don't need help?"

He couldn't concentrate on anything.

"I... I can't see... everything's...spinning..."

The world was just a swirl of colors. Blue of the sky, and the colors of the buildings around him, and everything else.

"Can I help you now?"

But he wouldn't let it stop him. He had to find Yugi, no matter what happened.

"Have to... find... Aibou..." He wanted nothing more in the world, at that moment, than to be with his partner. Everything would be ok, once he'd found him.

"Come on." The girl said, and she helped him up again. He didn't protest this time, but he didn't allow himself to enjoy that strange comfortable feeling he got when she was so close to him, either.

He couldn't think straight. Everything was a jumble of words and images, and sounds.

"I... I feel... confused."

She half helped, half carried him across the sidewalk into some building. He wasn't paying attention to the name of the store.

"Yeah, that's what happens when you don't eat or sleep... how long has it been since you've even had anything to drink?"

He had to admit to himself that he wouldn't be doing this if it was Yugi's body he'd be neglecting. But this... this was just a game piece. He didn't care.

"...Yesterday morning..."

"Hannah..."

Her voice was soft and caring, and he had to remind himself again that she wasn't important. She was an NPC, or worse, a trap. A spy. A distraction from his real goal. So that feeling he got when she was so close, with her arm around him, helping him in his time of need... that was nothing.

She led them inside, and he tried not to drift off at the table she sat them at, while she was gone.

"How do you feel?" She asked as she sat back down.

"I'm fine."

He wasn't going to let her know how he was really feeling. He wouldn't let his guard down.

"No... really."

Why should he tell her? Well, she had already seen him pass out, so he assumed it wouldn't do any harm.

"I..." should he really tell her? " I don't feel so well..."

"Yeah. That's to be expected with what you're doing... you'll get even sicker if you don't stop it..."

He didn't have to take this from her. He didn't have to listen to this. Who was she to decide what he could and couldn't do, anyway? She was a distraction, and he wouldn't let himself get distracted.

"You know, Yugi wouldn't want-"

What did she just say? What _Yugi_ would want?

"Don't you dare."

How dare she. How dare she think she could possibly know what Yugi would want. How dare she bring him up, when he was missing him so badly.

"Wh-What...?"

"Don't you _dare_ talk like you know him."

"But I-...I just-..."

"You have no idea what he's like, or what he'd want."

She had never even met Yugi, and she had the guts to talk about him like she knew him?

"I know he'd want you not to neglect your health like you're doing..."

Did she just say-... surely not. Surely she didn't just suggest...

"Shut up."

When all he wanted was to have Yugi back, to talk about him like that?

It was unacceptable.

He would vow it again then and there if he had to. He would find Yugi. He would find Yugi, and they would be together again.

If it was the very last thing he did, he would find his Aibou.


	7. Chapter 7

Yugi set a cup of water down at the table.

"Here, drink this. Not too fast though, or you'll make yourself sick..."

"Haven't I already done that...?"

There was an underlying tone of confusion that Yugi could tell he was trying to hide.

"Well, if you don't take it slowly, you'll make yourself even more sick."

"Does it matter?"

Yugi couldn't stand how sad he looked.

"Of course it matters..." He said softly. "Believe it or not, I actually care about your health."

Yami looked caught between annoyed and confused, as he asked,

"Why?"

Would answering honestly here be cheating?

"Because... I care about you..."

Upon hearing that, Yami looked at him a little closer than he had before, his eyes carefully scanning Yugi's face.

'Yes, please notice. It's me. Please. It'll all end right here if you just notice.' He thought desperately.

"You don't know me." he concluded.

Of course he knew him... Yugi knew him better than anyone else.

He was staring out the window longingly.

"We're wasting time..."

"No. We're not leaving until I'm sure you're not going to pass out again."

"You think you can tell me what to do?"

He sounded mad. He had never directed his anger at Yugi this way.

"You don't know me, and you certainly don't know Yugi. Do not tell me what to do. I will do what I want, and you can't stop me."

He stood up quickly as if to leave, and then stopped, gripped the side of the table, and sat back down.

"...Are you ok...?"

"I'm fine."

"You should take the rest of today and rest..."

Yugi was heartbroken at the situation. Here he was, unable to tell his best friend to stop looking for him, because he was right here. He had to keep up the act. He couldn't even hint. It wasn't fair.

"I can't. I have to find him."

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you rested today... How would he feel if you found him and he had to hold you up, because you couldn't stand on your own, anymore? You can't neglect your health like this..."

"I told you, I can do whatever I want. And..." he looked like he was seriously considering whether or not to talk more, "If I needed to be held up...he'd carry me home."

'Yes.' Yugi thought to himself. 'Yes I would. If only you'd let me...'

Right now, Yami wouldn't let him carry him anywhere. Let alone, all the way home.

Yugi wasn't sure if Yami's complete lack of interest in the food sitting in front of him surprised him or not.

He did say he was too worried to eat. But Yugi wasn't going to leave him alone until he did. He was poking at it like a stubborn child. He'd almost finished enough to keep him going, though. At least, for the rest of today. An unexpected question distracted him from his train of thought.

"Who are you...?"

'It's me, Yami. I'm right here... but I can't tell you. I want so badly to tell you, but I can't...' Yugi thought, wishing Yami could hear his thoughts again. Everything would be fixed, if he could...

"I... I'm Jenny, remember? I'm your friend. I'm someone who cares about you..."

"You don't know me."

'Stop saying that, mou hitori no boku...' Yes, thought sharing would fix absolutely everything right now.

"I do know you..."

"You may think you know me, but you don't know the first thing about me."

How much could he get away with here without cheating?

"I know you miss Yugi..."

Yami turned away at the sound of his name, looking out the window almost desperately.

"When can we leave?"

"Will you come back to the house and rest...?"

"No. I have to keep looking... he's out there somewhere... I'll find him..."

"Or you'll pass out again... you need to rest..."

"I don't have time."

"Please...?"

Yami glared at him, searching his eyes, seemingly staring into his soul.

"Why does it matter to you? Why does any of this matter to you?"

"B-Because... you matter to me..."

"Why? Are we close friends?"

"Well...yeah..."

Yami sighed.

"I'm going to tell you something that sounds insane, but I promise you that it's true. Alright?"

Yugi nodded.

"I'm not your friend. I'm not Hannah."

Right... right... of course. But how to respond? Yugi already knew that, but could he admit that? Would that be cheating? Should he risk it?

"You... You're not?"

It hurt to lie like that.

"No."

"Okay...then... who are you?"

"No one you should be concerned with." He smiled at him, even if it was sad and small, "You can go home now. I'll be fine. I'm not your friend, so there's no need to be concerned about me. I am no one, to you."

Yugi stared at him, in a little bit of shock.

He couldn't cry right here. That wouldn't be right, and then he'd be suspicious. But of course he was someone to him... they had shared everything, for years now. He was his "other self", his "darkness", the spirit who lived in his head. And he missed it. He missed calling him by his nicknames. He missed the way Yami used to act around him.

"But I... I..."

"I think this is where we say goodbye."

"N-No! I... I was actually... going to ask if I could stay at your house a little longer..."

"...Why?"

"Because I..."

He'd have to make up a lie.

"I... my home life isn't anything I want to go back to any time soon...and... I want to make sure you're ok."

"Even knowing that I'm not who you thought I was?"

"Y-Yeah... I still... I still care about you..."

At that, he was rewarded with another glare.

Yami slowly stood up, holding on to the table for balance.

"I..I'm still dizzy..."

"Come on, lets go home and you can rest until tomorrow."

"No."

"If you push yourself too hard, you'll get even worse..."

"I still don't understand why you care."

"Well, you don't have to understand. I just do."

He couldn't risk cheating. If he cheated, Yami Bakura would know, and it would all be over. He'd be disqualified, and the whole game would be over.

"If I were Yugi... where would I go...?" he heard Yami mumble to himself.

"Do you know... what I would do, if I were this "Yugi" you're looking for?"

That look he was giving Yugi at that comment wasn't a kind one, but Yugi continued anyway.

"If I were someone who was important to you... and I knew that you were doing this... I'd tell you to stop looking for me, and get some rest."

Yami growled.

Yugi hated seeing him like this.

"Is that what Yugi would say?"

Without making eye contact, he answered. "Yes."

"Then let me take you home. You can get some sleep. I can tell you haven't had any. We can look for Yugi again tomorrow, ok?"

He stood beside his best friend, ready to catch him at a moment's notice, seeing as he said he was still dizzy.

"I just... I'm not used to any of this... it's all strange and...and I need him here. I can't do this without him..."

Yugi was slightly shocked at the sudden reveal.

"Well... even if it's not the same...I can help you..."

Yugi almost didn't catch his next words. They were whispered, as if he really didn't want to say them, or maybe really did, but almost decided against it.

"...would you...?"

"Of course."

Seeing him looking unstable, Yugi put his arm around him to hold him up. Not only did he not protest, but he put his arm around Yugi's shoulder, allowing him to half-carry him at least to the bus stop.

When they got outside, they had to wait quite a while for the next bus, and it was still freezing cold. Apparently, Yugi had the thicker coat, or maybe he was just more used to the weather. Either way, Yami was shivering.

He was looking directly into Yugi's eyes, no hate or suspicion there this time. More like he was searching... searching for... _permission_, Yugi realized. He nodded, and Yami seemed to consider that, before finally leaning in to his warmth and support.

'Finally...' Yugi thought. Finally, his Yami was letting him be himself. Finally, he was letting him support him. Maybe everything wasn't ruined, after all. Maybe all it would take was one little thing, and he'd notice, and they'd win.

They had never existed together this way before. Never both at once. Never like this. It was amazing, but at the same time, it didn't mean much as long as Yami couldn't tell who Yugi was. Yugi wondered how he'd react if he knew. Would he be happy? Would he want to use this opportunity to his advantage? He could experience life now, like never before. And this time, they could experience it together, like regular friends did.

Yami continued to lean against him, using him as support until the bus got there. The ride was quiet. Neither of them spoke.

After that, it was still a half hour walk home.

The roads were still icy, and Yugi could tell that Yami couldn't make it home by himself. He had his arm around him most of the way home, until, even with the extra support, he couldn't hold himself up anymore, and he fell to his knees.

Yugi had to stop himself before he accidentally said his name again.

"Are you ok?!"

"I'm fine..."

"Let me help you. We're not far, now. I can carry you."

He nodded slowly, and as Yugi was picking him up he heard him whisper,

"..._He'd carry me home_..."

Yugi silently carried him, and they were nearly home when he spoke again, soft and weak sounding.

"I'm sorry..."

"What for?" He asked,

"This... it's my fault..."

"Shh.", he shushed him, still walking, nearly home now, "it's not your fault. None of this is your fault..."

They could see the house now. Half an hour of walking seemed much longer in the cold.

"I can walk from here..."

"Are you sure?"

"Mm."

Yugi gently put him down and kept an arm around him for support.

They slipped past the character's mom, keeping suspicion to a minimum, and finally made it to the bedroom. It was warm in the house, and they were both more tired than they realized.

Yugi took his coat off and yawned, surprising even himself with how tired he was. When he turned around, he found Yami sitting on the bed, looking sad still.

"We'll find him. I'll help you."

"I... I shouldn't be resting. I should be out there looking for him..." He said, yawning.

"When he sees you again, he'll want to see you healthy..."

The longer they were in the warm comfortable room, the more tired he looked.

"I... How do you do that? You've never met him... but you always seem to know...just what he'd say..."

"That doesn't matter right now... what matters right now is that we get you healthy again so that when you do see him, he won't be worried sick about you..."

"I miss him..." Yami admitted, "I wish he was here..."

"If he was here... what would you say to him?"

Yugi knew that was a long shot, but he tried it anyway.

"I would say..." he started, looking like he wasn't sure whether to keep talking or not, "...He would understand. He would understand, when I told him how...strange this all is... I know this won't make sense to you, but... I'm not used to any of this..."

He said, yawning again.

Yugi understood. He understood it exactly perfectly... but he couldn't talk him through it all, like he normally would, without giving himself away. Maybe he couldn't say anything directly, but that didn't mean he couldn't help... right?

"Hmm... right now what's most important is that you get rest."

"I suppose so..."

Yugi pulled the sleeping bag back to the middle of the room.

"I think I'll rest, too..."

"Hm... may I call you Jen?"

That was unexpected. He hadn't really heard Yami say his character's name much...

"Sure."

Yugi heard more yawning, as he was getting his sleeping-bag-bed-spot ready.

"Are you tired?"

"I suppose so... But... last time I slept... it didn't go well."

So... was that why he was crying?

"Nightmares?"

"Yes... horrible...I don't want to go through that again..."

"Well... you won't have nightmares every time you sleep. Tonight should be better."

"How can you be sure of that?"

"Hmm... a lot of times, if someone's having a nightmare, you can tell. If I see that you are, I'll wake you up. Sound good?"

"Yes...I don't think I much like being tired."

Yugi smiled.

"It can be a nice feeling, if you let it."

He yawned again, looking annoyed at himself for it.

"Can it? And how is that?"

"Well... you know you have to sleep," he nodded. "and... it's really... hm. How to explain it..."

Yami looked back at him expectantly.

"You sort of...can't fight it. You're going to sleep in a matter of time, whether you like it or not... so, if you accept it, and you don't fight against it, it's sort of peaceful."

"So... if I just..."

He finally laid down, and Yugi saw his eyes close.

He smiled, and covered him up. It was still cold outside.

Within the few minutes it took Yugi to get settled, Yami must have already been dreaming, because Yugi could hear him mumbling in his sleep.

"..._Y-Yugi_..."

He wasn't going to interfere, but he didn't seem to settle down.

"..._Aibou_..."

Could he comfort him? If he woke up and realized what was going on, Yugi would be busted, and thus disqualified... was it worth the risk?

Yugi thought it was.

He got on his knees by the bed.

"..._Yugi...I._.."

He was obviously not having a good dream.

" _I'm right here_..." Yugi whispered, holding Yami's hand for support. He hadn't been able to do this before. Not anything like this. It felt a little backwards, but not in a bad way." _Mou hitori no boku_..."

He seemed to calm down a little.

Once he seemed to be peaceful enough, Yugi let himself sleep.

It had been a long day, and he suspected an even longer one, tomorrow.

But every day Yugi figured they were a step closer to winning.


End file.
